PA paying compensation to terrorists families: Indian Caucus chairman

[Saint N sinnerr]

WASHINGTON: In a remark that further implicates Pakistan's domineering military in charges of supporting terrorism against India, a US lawmaker has alleged that it may be paying compensation to families of terrorists who attacked Mumbai on 26/11. HYPOCRITS

The stunning charge came from Congressman Gary Ackerman in course of a hearing he convened on the Lashkar-e-Taiba in his capacity if chairman of a House sub-panel on South Asia on Thursday. "There is, in fact, no reason to doubt that Pakistan's military is likely paying compensation to the families of the terrorists killed in the Mumbai attacks," Ackerman said in his prepared remarks at the start of the hearing.

The lawmaker did not elaborate on the charge against the Pakistani military, which if true would be extremely provocative for India at a time New Delhi is pressing Pakistan to take action against masterminds of 9/11. His office had not returned calls at the time of writing. Nine of the ten Pakistani fidayeen (suicidal) terrorists who attacked Mumbai landmarks eventually died after killing 173 people. A lone captured survivor Ajmal Kasab, is now on trial in Mumbai, largely disowned by Pakistan.

Ackerman’s remark about the Pakistani military’s complicity in terrorism was just one of several at the hearing by lawmakers and expert witnesses that repeatedly implicated country’s army and intelligence agencies and barely stopped short of calling Pakistan a terrorist state. The only token qualification to such characterization came from Shuja Nawaz, a Pakistani-American witness from Atlantic Council, who agreed that LeT was a ''Frankenstein's monster created for the purpose of assisting the Kashmiri freedom movement'' but insisted it ''ended up... with an independent agenda.''

"Successive civil and military leaders of Pakistan supported the movement as a strategic asset to counter a powerful India... by waging a war of "a thousand cuts"' Nawaz, who is the brother of a former Pakistan Army chief Asif Nawaz Janjua conceded, while contending that ''Over time, however, the sponsored organization took a life of its own.''

Broadly expressing dismay over the Obama administration’s lackadaisical approach to the Pakistani military’s use of terrorism, the hearing also challenged the notion that the Kashmir issue was the root cause of the problem between India and Pakistan, a proposition advanced only by Congressman Dan Burton, a long-time supporter of Pakistan. Congressman Ackerman described the idea that resolving the Kashmir issue will end terrorism as ''dangerous nonsense.''

''The LeT's true goal is not Kashmir, it is India. And the LeT is not shy about announcing that its intention is to establish an Islamic state in all South Asia,'' Ackerman said. The witnesses broadly agreed with this assessment.

"There is no doubt in my mind that we have to find ways to resolve the issues relating to Kashmir. But I think resolving Kashmir is not going to solve the problems relating to LeT," Ashley Tellis, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said.

"The murder and mayhem is being conducted by groups that have absolutely no connections to Kashmir. To my mind that is story, the fact that this is a group that has operations in 21 countries, that has an ideology that is completely anti-western, that is opposed to modernity and secularism and all the kinds of values that we take for granted. This group is not going to be satisfied by dealing with the issue of Kashmir," he added.

Heritage’s Lisa Curtis challenged Congressman Dan Burton’s proposition the terrorism problem would not be solved without resolving the future of Kashmir through a plebiscite, saying in her travels to the region she hasn’t heard any support for the idea of a plebiscite and even Gen.Musharraf had dropped the demand in favor of more forward-looking solutions.

 

[mjnaushad]

 

[Saint N sinnerr]

why are you nervous already?
lets wait and see how the story developes.

 

[Awesome]

Gary Ackerman is the chairperson of the Indian Caucus on the capitol hill. This means - The HEAD INDIAN LOBBYIST in the United States.

Credibility? ZERO

 

[Spring Onion]

Bwahahahahah as if we dont know who is Gary Ackerman

Get a life Orange Indian media.

And BTW we only accepted Kasab, who is alive in India, whereas the identity of others is not confirmed. So why we would be paying to Indians

 

[mjnaushad]

why are you nervous already?
lets wait and see how the story developes.

nervous.......

I am just laughing on this high secret leaked from our nation.

And you should type "lets see how this fairy tail develops"

 

[TaimiKhan]

I believe before commenting on others, the US and its lawmakers should see to their own past and present of financially supporting dictators and other such groups, who were and are involved in activities very much called terrorist in today's terminology.

And for Indians, well shouldn't talk as we know all about them too.

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

Now India has gone on false preemptive diplomatic strike on Pakistan to hide their terror activists against Pakistan.

 

[Cheetah786]

WASHINGTON: In a remark that further implicates Pakistan's domineering military in charges of supporting terrorism against India, a US lawmaker has alleged that it may be paying compensation to families of terrorists who attacked Mumbai on 26/11. HYPOCRITS

The stunning charge came from Congressman Gary Ackerman in course of a hearing he convened on the Lashkar-e-Taiba in his capacity if chairman of a House sub-panel on South Asia on Thursday. "There is, in fact, no reason to doubt that Pakistan's military is likely paying compensation to the families of the terrorists killed in the Mumbai attacks," Ackerman said in his prepared remarks at the start of the hearing.

The lawmaker did not elaborate on the charge against the Pakistani military, which if true would be extremely provocative for India at a time New Delhi is pressing Pakistan to take action against masterminds of 9/11. His office had not returned calls at the time of writing. Nine of the ten Pakistani fidayeen (suicidal) terrorists who attacked Mumbai landmarks eventually died after killing 173 people. A lone captured survivor Ajmal Kasab, is now on trial in Mumbai, largely disowned by Pakistan.

Ackerman’s remark about the Pakistani military’s complicity in terrorism was just one of several at the hearing by lawmakers and expert witnesses that repeatedly implicated country’s army and intelligence agencies and barely stopped short of calling Pakistan a terrorist state. The only token qualification to such characterization came from Shuja Nawaz, a Pakistani-American witness from Atlantic Council, who agreed that LeT was a ''Frankenstein's monster created for the purpose of assisting the Kashmiri freedom movement'' but insisted it ''ended up... with an independent agenda.''

"Successive civil and military leaders of Pakistan supported the movement as a strategic asset to counter a powerful India... by waging a war of "a thousand cuts"' Nawaz, who is the brother of a former Pakistan Army chief Asif Nawaz Janjua conceded, while contending that ''Over time, however, the sponsored organization took a life of its own.''

Broadly expressing dismay over the Obama administration’s lackadaisical approach to the Pakistani military’s use of terrorism, the hearing also challenged the notion that the Kashmir issue was the root cause of the problem between India and Pakistan, a proposition advanced only by Congressman Dan Burton, a long-time supporter of Pakistan. Congressman Ackerman described the idea that resolving the Kashmir issue will end terrorism as ''dangerous nonsense.''

''The LeT's true goal is not Kashmir, it is India. And the LeT is not shy about announcing that its intention is to establish an Islamic state in all South Asia,'' Ackerman said. The witnesses broadly agreed with this assessment.

"There is no doubt in my mind that we have to find ways to resolve the issues relating to Kashmir. But I think resolving Kashmir is not going to solve the problems relating to LeT," Ashley Tellis, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said.

"The murder and mayhem is being conducted by groups that have absolutely no connections to Kashmir. To my mind that is story, the fact that this is a group that has operations in 21 countries, that has an ideology that is completely anti-western, that is opposed to modernity and secularism and all the kinds of values that we take for granted. This group is not going to be satisfied by dealing with the issue of Kashmir," he added.

Heritage’s Lisa Curtis challenged Congressman Dan Burton’s proposition the terrorism problem would not be solved without resolving the future of Kashmir through a plebiscite, saying in her travels to the region she hasn’t heard any support for the idea of a plebiscite and even Gen.Musharraf had dropped the demand in favor of more forward-looking solutions.

And as usual your ANTI PAKISTAN BULL CRAP HAS NO LINK.

www.congressman who is on indias payroll .com

 

[Saint N sinnerr]

Gary Ackerman is the chairperson of the Indian Caucus on the capitol hill. This means - The HEAD INDIAN LOBBYIST in the United States.

Credibility? ZERO

Suit yourself.....

 

[skyisthelimit]

Gary Ackerman is the chairperson of the Indian Caucus on the capitol hill. This means - The HEAD INDIAN LOBBYIST in the United States.

Credibility? ZERO

only time will tell who's credibility is more....and worthy..

 

[Cityboy]

Pakistan already accepted that all 26,11 terrorist are 4m soil 4m pakistan. .and decoding of Gps receiver found with kasab has revealed each hideout they used in pakistan. .courtsey. fbi

 

[karan.1970]

Similar news article

Reuters AlertNet - U.S. lawmakers press Pakistan on Lashkar-e-Taiba

U.S. lawmakers press Pakistan on Lashkar-e-Taiba 11 Mar 2010 23:59:37 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Lashkar-e-Taiba must be bigger focus

* Pakistan has ties to group blamed for Mumbai attack

* Two U.S. court cases highlight group

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON, March 11 (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers urged the Obama administration on Thursday to focus more attention on Lashkar-e-Taiba militants and push Islamabad harder to rein in the Pakistan-based group blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

"This group of savages needs to be crushed," said Gary Ackerman, chairman of the House of Representatives subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.

"The LeT is a deadly serious group of fanatics. They are well-financed, ambitious and, most disturbingly, both tolerated by and connected to the Pakistani military," the Democratic lawmaker told a hearing called to discuss Lashkar militants. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ TAKE-A-LOOK on Pakistan and Afghanistan [nAFPAK] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

LeT, one of the largest and best-funded Islamic militant groups in South Asia, was nurtured by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency to fight India in Kashmir.

Pakistani authorities officially banned LeT after it was blamed for an attack on the Indian parliament in 2001 but analysts say the group is still unofficially tolerated as it is not believed to have been involved in attacks inside Pakistan.

The November 2008 attacks on Mumbai, which killed more than 100 people in India's commercial capital, are blamed on LeT.

Ackerman said the group had a "clear public presence" in Pakistan by providing charitable and social services to millions of poor people throughout the country.

"Public estimates suggest LeT operates some 2,000 offices in towns and villages throughout Pakistan, as well as maintaining ties with the Pakistani military," Ackerman said.

Pakistan has in recent months offered greater cooperation in tracking down Taliban militants from neighboring Afghanistan but U.S. officials are frustrated this has not extended to LeT extremists.

The senior Republican on the committee, Dan Burton, said LeT's growing influence had serious implications for regional and international security.

"Dismantling and eliminating the threat posed by LeT is clearly no easy task but we cannot shy away from it," said Burton. "As we all know, Pakistan has a nuclear arsenal which would pose a grave threat to the entire region should it fall under the control of extremists."

U.S. ARRESTS

In the United States, there has been greater interest in LeT since the arrest in October of Pakistani-American David Headley, charged with aiding the 2008 Mumbai attackers.

Prosecutors in Chicago have given details of Headley's alleged role in scouting targets in Mumbai and elsewhere for militant groups. Pakistani-born Chicago businessman Tahawwur Rana was also arrested in October on charges he helped the 2008 Mumbai attackers. Both men have pleaded not guilty.

Pakistan expert Lisa Curtis said Washington must develop policies to tackle LeT with the same urgency as the threat posed by al Qaeda, blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States in 2001.

LeT's "sharp anti-Western ideology should have raised alarm bells in Washington a long time ago," she told lawmakers.

Most troubling about the Headley case, said Curtis, was that it showed the Pakistani military's apparent closeness to LeT. A former army officer was named as Headley's handler.

"The degree of control that Pakistani intelligence retains over LeT's operations remains an open question," said Curtis, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

Ashley Tellis of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said Islamabad had no intention of putting LeT out of business, describing the group as the spearhead of the Pakistani military's campaign against its key rival, India. (Editing by John O'Callaghan)

 

[Imran Khan]

we these days press them not they press us look again.low maker in there home here we kick them.

 

[karan.1970]

Another One... Seems like some very strong lobbying happening by India in the US congress against LeT and ISI...This time by some one other than traditional indian supporters

Pakistan's ISI is protecting Lashkar-e-Toiba: US


Pakistan's ISI is protecting Lashkar-e-Toiba: US

Press Trust of India, Monday March 15, 2010, Washington




Pakistan's ISI, which considers Lashkar-e-Taiba as an "asset", is believed to be not only sharing intelligence inputs, but also providing protection to the banned outfit, a top US lawmaker has said.

"Despite the government's ban on LeT, Pakistan's ISI continues to consider the organisation an asset. The ISI is believed to share intelligence and provide protection to LeT," Congressman Marvin Weinbaum said at a Congressional hearing last week.

When Pakistan, in 2002, curtailed its assistance to insurgents after a US brokered cease-fire that year in Kashmir, the group, with the knowledge of the ISI, shifted most of its training camps and militant operations to the western border with Afghanistan, he said.

Referring to the frequent public appearance and anti-India rhetoric of LeT chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Weinbaum said he has got virtual impunity. "Let me say that there has been reciprocation on the part of LeT and that is refraining from involvement in attacks against the Pakistan Army and against Pakistan civilians," he said.

"In fact, although it is very definitely part of the terrorist network, which includes the Tehrik-e-Taliban, the Pakistani Taliban and al-Qaeda and the Haqqani Network, it is viewed by some of the jihadi groups as being too soft on the state of Pakistan. And other extremist groups are sceptical of its linkages with ISI," Weinbaum said.

"The current leadership in Pakistan may recognise, as it turns out better than any previous government, the dangers that LeT and these groups pose to the state. But the organisation's deep penetration of the country's social fabric makes any attempts to rein it in by the beleaguered Peoples Party impossible without the military's full commitment," the lawmaker said.

"Moreover, party and provincial politics in Pakistan adds a further obstacle. The major opposition, Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League, resists a challenge to the feared LeT that could put at risk the party's ascendant position in the Punjab," he said.

"LeT is determined to use violent means to inflict damage on American and Western interests internationally. Despite its transnational views that envision the emergence of a caliphate across the Islamic world, the organisation champions militant Pakistani nationalism and thrives on its association with domestic charitable activities," he said.

"LeT was principally designed to provide Pakistan's military with a proxy force of recruited fighters to augment the Islamic insurgency in Indian Kashmir. But by the late 1990s, LeT was engaged as well in training Islamic militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan, militants coming from countries ranging from Egypt to the Philippines," Weinbaum said.

"The group receives funding from mosque collections, expatriate Pakistanis in the Gulf and Britain, Islamic NGOs and Pakistani and Kashmiri businessmen. It also draws money from drugs and smuggling. There are suspicions that it gets direct financial assistance from Pakistan military's Inter-Services Intelligence agency as well," he alleged.

Meanwhile, a top Pentagon official has told the US lawmakers that Lashkar-e-Taiba is trying to trigger Indo-Pak conflict by carrying out major attacks inside India. "The one that probably keeps me awake most is Lashkar-e-Taiba in South Asia, which of course was responsible for the Mumbai bombings," Daniel Benjamin, Co-coordinator for counter-terrorism at the State Department, told Senators at a Congressional hearing last week.

"The Mumbai bombings did attack and kill a number of Americans. And this is a designated group and one we take very seriously. But I think we need to build even greater concern and greater programming to target this group, because its target set looked very much like an al Qaeda target," he said. "And if it decides that it wants to wage the global terrorist effort, then that will be a real challenge for us. It has a lot more men under arms than al-Qaeda has. So those, I would say are the two big concerns," he said.

"As we are looking at defending the homeland as one of our key pillars, that something spurs up as a result of a Lashkar-e-Taiba. You know, as they continue to try and trigger some kind of impact between Pakistan and India in the region. So it's keeping an eye on the ball forward as we protect the ball here at home," said Lt. Gen. Francis Kearney, Deputy Commander of US Operations Command.

Appearing before the same committee, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism Garry Reid said this terrorist outfit is not only agile and adaptive, but has also maximised the use of global technology and global information tools.